The very decided action of the . German cruiser off Haiti
is no violation of the Monroe doctrine, and will perhaps, on the whole, give a needed warning to American revolutionaries ; but it will also, we think, quicken the impression that the Germans would like to use their Fleet, and, therefore, the readiness of Americans to complete theirs. A Haitian rebel or pretender had obtained command of a gunboat called the 'Crete-i-Pierrot,' and used it to seize a German vessel which was carrying or smuggling arms into Haiti. Tbe commander of the German gunboat Panther' considered this piracy, and ordered the captain of the Crate-i-Pierrot ' to strike his flag at once, and quit his ship under penalty of being sunk. The captain obeyed, landing his crew at Gonaives, and the German captain was about to take possession when he found that his adversary in retreating had fired his ship. The 'Panther' thereupon shelled her till she exploded and went down. The Crete-b,-Pierrot ' seems to have had no legal status at all, and the lesson which was needed was administered with great consideration for human life; but it must benoticed that the German officer settled the law as well as the sentence. We see some speculation as to an American wish to annex Haiti, but disbelieve it all. The Americans have plenty to do without taking charge of a negro State which within six weeks would be in rebellion.
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